Fantasy Football Challenge - Football Fanatics Articles Archive

Enclosed in this archive is every bit of the action and updates that occurred in September 2003 within the world of fantasy football. You may want to read these articles for research on players in the coming year, or just check to see if we were way off base with our reporting. Whatever the reason, it's all here for your enjoyment.

Fantasy Football Challenge - September 2003 Fantasy Football Articles

Fantasy Football Challenge - September 2003 Fantasy Football Articles Archive

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it removes a blocker from the game, and most do not want to do that with Taylor on the field. But the defense cannot bunch up at the line of scrimmage in the spread, creating running room. The Jets want to give running back Curtis Martin some open space, and the spread would keep the Dolphins from putting an eighth defender near the line of scrimmage to stuff the run.

When the Texans put three or four receivers on the field, the Dolphins were forced to put extra defensive backs in the game. Then quarterback David Carr surprised the Dolphins by taking only three-step drops. The result: There were no sacks and the Texans rolled up 393 yards of offense.

Martin has had success running out of the spread, and Testaverde likes it so much that the Jets tried to use it early last season when he was the starting quarterback. The problem: the last time the Jets used the spread extensively, in 2000, Testaverde threw 25 interceptions, which prompted head coach Herman Edwards and Hackett to put him in a virtual straitjacket in 2001.

But in 2002, convinced that Testaverde was more comfortable with the offense, the Jets tried again, with disastrous results. The offensive line was in transition because of personnel turnover, the pass protection was spotty and the spread only made the problems worse. In their first game against Miami last year, the Dolphins blitzed more than usual and Testaverde threw two interceptions.

The difference between the Jets failure with the spread and the Texans success is that Carr can scramble to avoid mistakes. Testaverde, at 39, is far from mobile, and he was banged around so much last season that he began to look hesitant to take a hit. That prompted him to make bad decisions, like forcing passes and throwing interceptions, the bane of his career.

Testaverde has been given the green light to call audibles -- he was not allowed to do that two years ago -- and the Jets expect him to do so if he detects a blitz coming or an eighth defender trying to stop the run, leaving a receiver in single coverage.

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